Townsend's Solitaire
(Myadestes townsendi)

Summary

Picture of bird
© Tony Battiste
For additional photos and vocalizations, visit Dendroica. (Link opens in a new window.)

The Townsend’s Solitaire breeds in the mountains of western North America, where it is best monitored by the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). BBS results indicate little overall change or perhaps a small decrease in population since the early 1970s, although data are sparse in the northern portion of the species’ breeding range. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

Designations

Main designations for the species
DesignationStatusDateSubspecies, population
IUCN (Global)Least concern2018 
Wild Species (Canada)Secure2015 
Bird Conservation Region StrategyPriority Species2013 

Population status

Geographic area or populationPopulation change relative to ~1970ReliabilityStatus in relation to goal
CanadaLittle ChangeMediumAt an Acceptable Level
 

Population estimate

Geographic area or populationPopulation estimate
Canada50,000 - 500,000 adults
 

Distribution maps

 

Migration strategy, occurrence

Short-distance migrant

Responsibility for conservation

Geographic areaResponsibility based on % of global population
CanadaModerate

General nesting period in Canada

Nesting period starts between late April and early June and ends between late July and mid-August, depending on the region. Before or after this period, the probability of an active nest is lower.
 

Conservation and management

The Townsend’s Solitaire prefers open forests. The species also winters in open habitats with abundant berries, particularly juniper woodlands, but also in suburban and rural gardens (Bowen 1997). Wintering Townsend’s Solitaire were found to be resilient to development in suburban areas, likely exploiting resources found in and around human settlements (Miller et al. 2017).

 

Bird conservation region strategies

Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:

  • conservation concerns (i.e., species vulnerable due to population size, distribution, population trend, abundance, or threats)
  • stewardship responsibilities (i.e., species that typify the regional avifauna or have a large proportion of their range or population in the sub-region)
  • management concerns (i.e., species that require ongoing management because of their socio-economic importance as game species, or because of their impacts on other species or habitats)
  • other concerns (i.e., species deemed a priority by regional experts for other reasons than those listed above or because they are listed as species at risk or concern at the provincial level)

Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.

BCRs, marine biogeographic units, and sub-regions in which the species is listed as a priority
RegionSub-region and priority type
Great BasinGreat Basin, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon -- Stewardship
Northern RockiesNorthern Rockies, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon -- Stewardship
 

References